JACK SMILED
by pealee
Summary: will jack and maria work things out in the interest of hannah and kate?


Hey guys, this would like so never happen on the show I'm sure. But I hate it when couples get divorced and are just so horrible to each other. So I wrote a fic that makes Jack, Maria and the girls happy. Let me know what you think!

JACK SMILED

It was a cold snowy day in Manhattan. Jack kept looking down at his watch. It was driving him crazy. Time was going by so slow. When he thought he couldn't stand it anymore he heard what he had been anticipating for weeks.

"DADDY!" screamed Kate Malone as she ran into the main area of the office. And she jumped into Jack's arms. He kissed her over and over and said "I have missed you so much."

"I missed you too daddy."

Hannah right behind her sister was jumping up and down.

"My turn daddy, my turn."

Jack put down Kate and scooped Hannah into his arms and gave her a bunch of kisses the same as he did with Kate. Everyone in the office watched Jack with his girls. They haven't seen Jack smile like that in a long time.

Putting down Hannah he looked around and asked the girls where their mother was. Before the girls could answer Maria stormed around the corner.

"I told you two girls not to run inside. This is an office building not a playground."

"Maria its ok they are just excited to see me, and I am so happy to have my girls here." Jack said picking up Kate and spinning her around.

"Daddy do that to me". Hannah begged.

"Jack if I tell the girls they are not allowed to do something I expect you to respect that and make sure they obey my rules."

"You know do you think there will ever be a time when we will not argue?"

Maria didn't answer. "Alright girls I'm leaving be good and have fun. I'll see you in two weeks." Maria said as she kissed the girls goodbye.

"I don't want to go back I hate Chicago" Hannah smartly replied to her mother.

"Yea me either I want to be with daddy." Kate joined in.

"I hate Chicago, I hate the kids, you actually have to drive everywhere, they talk funny, the pizza is horrible and the Cubs are the worst team ever!" Hannah explained very angrily.

Jack very puzzled looked at Maria and said "We need to talk."

"Jack I'll watch the girls." Danny replied seeing that he and Maria needed to be alone to have their talk.

"Thanks Danny, ok girls me and your mom will be right back and you two decide where you two want to get some dinner."

"We want New York style pizza; it's not as good in Chicago." Hannah explained.

"Well there is a pizza shop on every corner you guys decide." Jack told the girls. Who looked very happy.

Jack escorted Maria to his office and closed the door behind them.

"Look if the girls want to live in New York with me I want them here." Jack simply stated.

"No way Jack its out of the question. The girls are with me and that's how it's staying."

"Damn it Maria I miss my girls!" Jack practically yelled at her. "Look I'm sorry I didn't mean to yell." He stopped hung his head and took a deep breath. "You have no idea what I'm going through. I know I messed up our marriage but Maria I risked everything I had worked so hard on and gave up my career to make you happy. I wanted to go with you; you let me believe that you really wanted to make this work. And the night before we were supposed to leave you tell me no that you don't want me anymore. Not that I blame you but you took my girls away. Maria I can't stand this anymore. I need them here with me."

Maria a little shocked finally said "Wow how long have you kept that bottled up?"

Jack kind of smiled and said "Since you left me."

"Jack look the courts are never going to give you custody so don't even try and put us through that again."

"We don't have to go through the courts."

"What are you talking about Jack?"

"You and the girls should move back to New York. The girls hate it there and I know you love the city. It would be so much easier if we all lived in the same place."

"So you want me to just give up my job and move back here with no job."

"You wanted me to give up my job. And besides you have always wanted to open your own firm."

"I can't believe this is happening. Yes I have always wanted my own firm but I'm happy at the firm I'm at and I like Chicago."

"But everyone else in your life is miserable. What about the girls, have you thought about that?"

"Look Jack I got to go or I'll miss my flight." And she turns to leave his office.

"Please Maria just think about it?"

"I'll think about it but Jack I'm not promising you anything and don't mention it to the girls.

"Ok. I guess I'll see you in two weeks when I fly the girls back."

"Yeah I guess so we'll talk about it more then."

Jack and Maria walked back into the main office. Maria gave the girls hugs and kisses again and she left.

"Alright girls I am all yours for the next two weeks. What do you want to do?"

"Yea right dad we are all yours until they call you in on a case and then you will leave us with a babysitter." Hannah said to him.

Jack looks at his girls and then his team and says to Hannah "Well if that's what you want then me and Kate will spend the two weeks together."

"I don't understand dad" Hannah said very confused.

"Well I don't have to come back to work till after I return from dropping you off back home in Chicago."

"So you mean no matter what you don't have to work till we leave?" Kate asked her dad.

"Yup I'm not even taking my briefcase home."

A huge smile came across Hannah's face and she jumped in Jack's arms. He kissed her, grabbed her hand and picked Kate up and turned around to leave. Saying over his shoulder to his team "See you in two weeks guys."

In unison the team said "Bye." Everyone then returned to work except for Samantha who watched Jack and his girls walk out. She was happy for once to see Jack happy even if it was only going to be for two weeks and then he'd return to his sad self again till the next time he saw his girls. She wished she could help him be happy all the time.

For the next two weeks Jack and his girls went sight seeing all over Manhattan just for fun. He took them up state to go camping and fishing and on the way back to the city they went to the state fair. One afternoon he and the girls went to the park to play soccer. Jack taught Hannah all the best moves to show her friends went she went back home. She just started the junior soccer team. Kate who was starting dance lessons showed her dad the new steps she learned in tap class. He can't wait till June 10th. He is going to fly to Chicago for the weekend. Hannah has a soccer tournament and Kate has her very first tap dance recital.

Jack doesn't want his girls to go home but at the same time he can't wait to see Maria. He hopes she will have thought this through and will realize the girls are better off in New York.

The two weeks spent with his girls went by all too fast not only for Jack but as well as his girls.

"Daddy why can't we stay here with you?" Kate asked her dad while they waited in line to board the plane back to Chicago.

"Because you can't you have to live with your mom for now."

"This sucks, why can't we all live in New York dad?" Hannah asked.

"Don't you ever say that word again Hannah do you understand me?" Jack answered her in a very serious tone.

"Yes". Was all Hannah said as she hung her head.

"Look I know you guys want to be in New York and I want you guys here as well but your mother has a good job in Chicago."

"Well she had a good job here in New York before she took us away." Hannah snapped back.

"I know, I know." Was all Jack said as they took their seats on the plane.

The two hour flight back to Chicago was for the most part speechless. As the pilot announced they were preparing for touchdown Jack's stomach turned and the knots grew tighter.

After Jack helped Maria get the girls luggage she offered for him to go to dinner with them before his return flight back to New York.

They ate at a restaurant in the airport. While the server cleared their plates Jack gave the girls some money to go play video games in the video arcade across from the restaurant.

"Well?" Jack asked referring to their conversation they had in his office before Maria left.

"Jack I don't know if I can just pick and move the girls again."

"They want to be in New York Maria, and I know you want to be there too."

"This isn't gong to be easy Jack just picking up moving back to the city and trying to start my own firm."

"This can work Maria. We worked out the whole custody and divorce stuff; we can certainly work this out."

"Jack I'm still not sure. This is a big discussion; opening my own firm will cause very long hours and I just don't know if I'm up for it."

"This is something you have always wanted and when it comes to the girls we will work something out."

As Jack finished his sentence the girls came back to the table.

"What are you guys talking about?" Hannah asked.

Maria and Jack exchanged a look.

"Well Maria began, your dad wants me to move back to New York and open my own law firm so we are all together."

Immediately Hannah grew very excited.

"Oh please mommy can we move back to New York, please?" Hannah asked about to burst at the seams.

Kate pitched in with "Can we mom, can we."

"Look girls opening my own firm is a lot of work. In the beginning it will be extremely long hours." Maria answered the girls.

"Oh come on mom but then if we all live together in New York then we won't have to always fly back and forth and then daddy will be sure to be at all my games." Hannah said trying to convince her mom.

"Yea and he'll be there for my recitals too." Kate quickly chimed in.

"Girls this is a huge discussion and I'm not sure now is the time to discuss it."

"But mom me and Kate have the right to be with both of you this isn't fair!" and she started to cry.

"Come here baby." Maria said and pulled Hannah into a hug.

Kate climbed into Jack's lap.

After a couple of minutes when Hannah stopped crying she said "I don't like it here in Chicago mom I want to be in New York, my best friends are there, dad is here and so grandpa."

Maria looked at Jack who was begging her with his eyes to say yes.

Maria thought about it again for a moment and looked into Hannah's eyes and she said "Ok, we will try it."

At the same time both Jack and Hannah said "Yes"

Maria quickly said "Guys I said we will try it that means if it doesn't work then we might move back here understand?"

Jack jumped up and gave Maria a hug. "We'll make this work Maria I promise."

"Well there is still a lot to work out Jack, putting in my notice at my firm, getting an apartment, getting the girls enrolled in a school in New York, this is all going to take some time to work out. Jack you understand that right?"

"Yea, yea I know and I want to help. I'll call the Goddard School and see about getting the girls reenrolled and I'll check out apartments for you and whatever else you need. I want this to work Maria."

"So do I. I don't want to regret this Jack."

"You won't." Jack and Hannah answered.

"Well I guess we make better friends then lovers Maria said to Jack as they walked out of the restaurant.

"I would have to agree with you on that one."

"Finally you agree I'm right!"

And they laughed.

Jack kissed his girls goodbye and promised to call them when he returned home.

"Well I'll call you when I start working things out and all." Maria said.

"Ok sounds good, if you need anything on my end just call."

"I will and thanks Jack I would not be trying to open my own firm if it weren't for you and the girls. You are right it is something I always wanted."

"Hey no problem this is a win win for everyone."

Jack boarded the plane and headed home. Once there he was excited about just the mere thought of having his girls back in New York City with him. He still couldn't believe Maria had actually agreed to give it a try. When he finally went to sleep he had the best sleep he had had in a long time.

Unfortunately Monday morning came early and Jack dragged himself out of bed, showered, got dressed and headed to work.

As Jack approached his team who were all seated at the conference table in the middle of the office he all of a sudden couldn't wait to tell them the good news.

"Hey Jack how was vacation?" Danny asked.

"It was great took the girls up state for some camping, did some sight seeing of the city for fun and with the help of the girls mainly Hannah I convinced Maria to move back to the city and open her own firm so we are all together."

"Jack that is just great, congratulations." Said Vivian

"That's awesome Jack." replied Danny.

"Yea congrats." Martin pitched in.

Jack looked at Samantha.

He smiled and she smiled back.

"I'm happy for you." She said

"Thank you." he replied holding her stare.

And then Jack smiled.


End file.
